In this final part of our chat with filmmaker Apo Bazidi we talk about the technical aspects of his film Resistance is Life.
Shooting a documentary in an unpredictable environment such as a refugee camp or a war zone brings all sorts of challenges, especially if you are a one-person show producing a film all on your own. Apo tells us how he managed to get coverage from simultaneous events by recruiting fellow volunteers to help him get the necessary coverage at various locations.
In terms of gear, Apo was very limited in what he could carry, not only because he was working on his own but also because of issues such as safety and something so basic as access to electricity to recharge camera batteries. As a result, the entirety of Resistance is Life was shot on a Canon 7D and Canon 5D Mark III with a Rode on-camera shotgun microphone. Having ended up screening at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Resistance is Life is yet another example that story is always more important than gear.
Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”
Apo also tells us about his plans for the future after finishing the festival circuit with Resistance is Life, and gives us the latest update regarding Evlin, the 8 year-old Kurdish girl that became the protagonist of his documentary.
We hope to have Apo Bazidi ride with us again very soon, and we wish him the best of luck with Resistance is Life!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming!
TILTABlackmagic DesignManfrottoOlympus
Watch previous episodes of ON THE GO (& On the Couch) by clicking here. Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

In this second part of our convertible ride with filmmaker Apo Bazidi, we continue our chat about his film Resistance is Life and discuss the psychological difficulties of shooting in a hostile environment. Watch the first part of this conversation if you missed it.
Making the decision to pack up your things and go into a war zone certainly takes a certain mindset. Apo shares with us what motivated him to return to Turkey in the first place, and eventually cross the border to war-torn Syria.
Another experience which inevitably comes as a shock is returning home after experiencing the cruel reality of war. While it is true that many people are not fortunate enough to ever leave that reality of hardship and violence, returning to the Western world takes its own psychological toll. Apo tells us how he faced challenges such as PTSD and how he managed to come back to terms with society.
Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”
We also dive a little deeper in to the origin of the name Resistance is Life, and Apo helps us decipher the meaning within and its universal message, as well as sharing with us what are his next plans with the film’s distribution.
Stay tuned for the third and final part of our chat with filmmaker Apo Bazidi, where we discuss the gear he used to shoot Resistance is Life!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming!
TILTABlackmagic DesignManfrottoOlympus
Watch previous episodes of ON THE GO (& On the Couch) by clicking here. Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

In this episode of cinema5D ON THE GO we meet Apo Bazidi, and we discuss his documentary Resistance is Life, which portrays the struggles of Kurdish freedom fighters.
Apo Bazidi is a documentary filmmaker born in Eastern Turkey, after finishing college, moved to San Francisco to pursue his dream of becoming a filmmaker. He tells us how his path in the US took him from bussing tables at a restaurant to getting eventually get a scholarship at the prestigious USC film school.
He performed various jobs in the industry as assistant director and editor, until eventually deciding to take the plunge in 2014 and make his own documentary: Resistance is Life.
Resistance is Life portrays the reality of life in Kurdish freedom fighters in refugee camps during the summer of 2014, when the city of Kobane in northern Syria fell under attack by ISIS. The film documents 7 months spent in a Turkish refugee camp and 11 months in the front lines and war torn Syria.
Apo explains how he decided to embark on a journey to a war zone, and how starting out as a volunteer at a refugee camp helped him get close to the the people whose struggle would become the subject of his film.
Evlin, from Apo W. Bazidi’s “Resistance is Life”
He also recounts how he came to meet the charismatic Evlin, the little 8 year-old girl through whose eyes we see the story of the documentary.
A fascinating start to a fascinating conversation. Stay tuned for the rest of our convertible ride with Apo Bazidi through the streets of L.A!
Please visit our sponsors’ websites to keep new episodes of ON THE GO coming!
TILTABlackmagic DesignManfrottoOlympus
Watch previous episodes of ON THE GO (& On the Couch) by clicking here. Visit our Vimeo and YouTube playlists, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!

ISIS has been using weaponized drones (UAVs) in their fight against Iraqi military forces with increasing accuracy, and leading drone manufacturer DJI has had enough. As of late February, new no-fly zones are covering much of Iraq and Syria.
Image Credit: Rin Ehlers Sheldon
According to VICE News, DJI is now preventing their products from being flown over large portions of Iraqi and Syrian airspace. While there is limited data available to verify if their products are indeed the types of drones ISIS uses, it is probable that at least some DJI UAV’s may have found their way to the battlefield given their market dominance.
Defensive options aimed at protecting people on the ground from malicious drone pilots has been increasing in recent months, with a new Drone Gun capable of bringing down a Phantom series UAV from 1.2 miles away.
Image: Graham Ehlers Sheldon
Syria and Iraq aren’t the only countries with drone no-fly zones. Military bases, airports and other sensitive areas are also off limits to drone pilots. You can find a full map of these areas on DJI’s website HERE.
In my opinion, DJI has the right to make sure their products aren’t being used in war zones, but this is just another argument in the difficult conversation about the responsible use of drone aircraft that, while more regulated, are far from over.
Source: VICE News